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Alicia Makaye, CEO of GXA, was recently featured in Canvas Rebel Magazine! She shared about her background, GXA’s mission, and life lessons she’s learned. Read on for an excerpt!
Can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
GXA is a business founded on a passion for giving to the underprivileged. For an IT services company, that may not seem logical, but GXA was actually inspired by a desire to have the freedom of time and resources to invest in philanthropic endeavors. My husband and business partner, George Makaye, and I both have the hearts to serve and give on a much larger scale. We experienced and witnessed firsthand the devastation of poverty that children around the world face every day. How does that translate into an Information Technology business? George and I realized that by becoming entrepreneurs, we could take control of our time and our income. Together, we possessed the talents to start our own business – George is an IT genius with impeccable customer service skills. I am an Air Force Veteran with a Ph.D. and expertise in business operations, strategy and people. We are a formidable team, serving our customers – and our community – diligently for the past 17 years.
In 2021, I took the helm as the CEO of GXA (www.gxait.com), which is an award-winning IT services company (Managed Service Provider, MSP) headquartered in Dallas that provides managed IT services and solutions to small-to-medium size businesses in DFW area and beyond. Inc. Magazine has named GXA one of the fastest growing companies in America 2014/2019/2020. Inc. also included GXA as 1 of the 250 “Most Inspiring Companies in Texas” in its inaugural ranking of this state’s most successful companies. My business partner expanded the family IT endeavors and increased their services in Cybersecurity.
My background is extensive and varied. After serving for four years in the United States Air Force, I earned two degrees, including a doctorate in Public Affairs from University of Texas at Dallas. A lifelong learner, I am a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business alumna (cohort 10). I’ve received numerous awards over the years, including the Green and Orange Award at UT Dallas in 2022; Dallas Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader; Minority Women Business Entrepreneur of the Year; Alumna of the Year at UT Dallas; Air Force Achievement Medal. I was Nominated for a Women in Technology Luminary Award as well as the Collin County Most Influential Women Awards. I appreciate every one of these accolades, but among the labels I value most is “Philanthropist.”
My charitable work began in childhood but expanded as an adult in 2003, shortly after I met my future husband George, who shares my dedication to philanthropy. . . .
Read the full article here!